Inuyasha: A Twist
by Ani-SanO.o
Summary: (NOT AN AU) Kagome thought the most she had to worry about was gang violence in the poor area she lived in. But that changed when she fell down the well & ended up 500 years in the past. You can take the girl outta the hood but you can't take the hood outta the girl. Same familiar plot. Fun take on a character!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: ****The Girl Who Whooped Ass And The Boy Who's Ass Got Whooped**

**Alright. Before we start, I want to reiterate a few truths about urban culture. Ebonics is cultural, not remedial. "Ghetto" is not an insult. And "hood" folk are equally as complex and layered as their suburban counterparts. **

**This is a fic I made to create a female lead I relate to. Essentially, the same base plot will exist, just with a Kagome that reflects a girl who grew up in an urban area. Expect urban and pop culture references, slang, lower class perspectives, and a girl who is still pure while embodying these "hood" characteristics that are often portrayed in very one dimensional ways. Inuyasha will remain Inuyasha, as he will still have been from the Feudal Era, as will all other characters who are from the past. **

**Obviously, not everything will be exact. Kagome's personality is going to heavily affect the timeline and events at times. That's the fun of this fic. Kagome will essentially be a modern girl who grew up in modern, urban culture. It's not stereotypical, but it'll be fun. (Also, this fic is specifically inspired by modern AMERICAN urban culture. I apologize for any differences between American and Japanese urban culture).**

"Happy birthday Kagome! My beautiful baby girl is so grown!" Mama Higurashi cooed as Kagome waltz into the kitchen, backpack slung over her shoulder. "Sixteen already. I can't even believe it. I might cry at how fast time flies by."

Kagome smiled, "Chill, mom. You know I'll always be your baby." The girl made a teasing face, feigning annoyance as she gave her mother a quick hug. "Besides, sixteen ain't grown. Grown is when I can pay bills. Grown is when I'm under my own roof. But at least now I can go get a part time job to help out around here."

Mama Higurashi frowned at that, a sigh escaping from between her lips as she watched her daughter slip on her sneakers, completing today's look. Kagome was wearing some dark jean shorts with a black tank, creating a casual birthday outfit. The previous week, Mama Higurashi had offered to buy her something nicer to wear, but her daughter had politely declined. And the woman knew it was because she worried about finances in the house, and while she was proud of the humble, considerate woman Kagome was becoming, Mama Higurashi never wanted her to worry about money like that at this age. It was a fanged reality that bit at the older woman.

"Kagome, you don't need to get a job to help out. If you wanna go out and earn some money, that's fine, but don't come into this house feeling like you gotta put it towards anything besides yourself. You're a teenager. Go out and hang with your friends." She insisted, "You know I do what I gotta do to hold this place down. Never worry about that."

Kagome's foot finished sliding into her sneaker, and she looked up at the woman who raised her, ready to counter her statement when the tapping of slow steps invaded the kitchen.

"Is that my sixteen year old granddaughter I see?" Grandpa ambled into the scene, smiling proudly as he locked eyes with the schoolgirl, "I have the perfect gift for you." He reached into his pocket pulled out a small, pinkish orb attached to a thin, silver chain.

"A necklace? Did you make it, gramps?" Kagome asked, eyeing the jewel, "I bet it's got some sort of history to it, too." The girl jokingly rolled her eyes as she accepted the little jewel in the palm of her hand, feeling as the cold exterior sent a chill through her body. It was subtle, and yet, Kagome couldn't help but eye it curiously. Her eyes glistened as she sensed something oddly familiar about the tiny thing as it reflected the shine from the ceiling light fixture. Quickly, she closed her hand, fingers encasing the gift as the chain dangled beneath. She glanced back at her grandfather, his proud smile beaming as he observed her reaction, pleased with himself.

"That is the Shikon no Tama! The sacred jewel!" He exclaimed as though he was announcing it to some imaginary crowd, "It was coveted by demons and humans alike, as it had the power to grant wishes!" He watched as his granddaughter cocked a brow, a reaction that juxtaposed the slight curl of one corner of her lip, creating an amused smirk.

"But of course, this ain't the real jewel." She deduced, watching as the expression on Gramps' face reduced itself to a defeated sigh, his button lip poking out in a childish pout.

"W-Well, the real jewel has since disappeared from the world." He defended, "But this homemade replica still holds the same meaning of purity and strength! Just like you, Kagome."

The young woman just shook her head, her previous smirk blossoming into a full smile. She adored her family, though she found her grandfather's obsession of all things spiritual to be a bit absurd, despite his good intentions. _Old myths don't make money. Our family may have been able to get by posing as spiritual monks or priestesses, but that was decades ago. Nobody comes around for that sort of stuff now. _Kagome looked around at the small kitchen that encircled her and her family. It was cramped, with only the basic necessities in sight. And smack dab in the middle was a square kitchen table she was sure was bought at some flea market 15 years ago. The four chairs around it were worn and old, as well, and she realized that it has looked the exact same since she could remember. Nothing was replaced, upgraded or thrown out. No new appliances graced the countertops, not even a toaster. It was as though this place had been stuck in time, unable to move forward. Maybe time was something you had to pay for, you couldn't move forward until you had the money. It was a privilege. And all privileges are paid for.

She looked through the entryway to her left, where she saw a room of equal size bearing nothing but one couch and an old TV that still had a VCR in it. She couldn't remember the last time any movie came out on VHS. No, everything was DVDs, some even coming out only in blu-ray, whatever the hell that was. She was sure the last time they bought a new VHS was around the time MTV was still showing music videos. Back when Ja Rule and Ashanti still produced top hits. Kagome laughed inwardly at that before turning back to her grandfather.

"Thanks, gramps. I'll go put this in my room." She hugged him briefly before jogging down a hallway where all the bedrooms were situated. All except for hers of course. She opened one of the doors that revealed a narrow stair case, and she ascended up to what most would assume to be an attic. Of course, they wouldn't be entirely wrong. This was the attic. But as the eldest child, Kagome claimed the attic as her room to maintain a decent level of privacy. And it had been transformed into the best teenage girl room the clearance section could provide, including a modest vanity table that her mother had spotted for 90% off during some local furniture store's going out of business sale.

It was on that table that she placed the fake jewel before rushing down the stairs again and into the kitchen. Mama Higurashi had begun sweeping while her Gramps had filled a pot up to make some morning tea. The steam overflowed, sprinkling into the air until it dispersed and disappeared from visibility before it reached the water stained ceiling.

"Hey, I'm heading out now." The girl announced, waving her hands. She turned before anyone could reply and trotted through the living room to the front door.

"Take your brother with you! He's outside with the cat somewhere!" Mama Higurashi called back, mentally wishing her daughter a great birthday. Kagome agreed and all that was heard after that was the creaking sound of the door opening and the sudden crash as it fell closed. She was gone.

_Now, where is this kid... Better be in the yard or I'm boutta be pissed._ Kagome thought to herself, eyes scanning the front yard briefly before heading to the back, _He always runs off the property like he isn't eight years old. Always getting lost or talking to strangers... _Her thoughts trailed off as she made it to the back of the house, which was wasn't very large in the first place. All that was there was a big tree, a few yards of land and then an old shrine. And if she was being honest, the shrine was the best looking part of the whole property. That was probably because Gramps put a lot of time into it.

_The Higurashi family shrine... Gramps said people used to come by here for blessings and prayers when he was a kid. It was a legit source of income back then... spiritual services and such..._ Her mind wandered to the stories he would tell about this place, _He even said that the Higurashi's owned most of the land on this side of the road... But when less and less people started coming, they had to sell a lot of the property just to afford to stay here... But Gramps can't seem to let this thing go._

She sighed as eyed the old structure, inwardly admitting that there was always something ethereal about it. That was until she saw Sota, her younger brother, creeping out from behind it, looking guilty of something per usual.

"Hey! Get your ass over here, you know you're not supposed to back there." Kagome shouted, startling the young boy, his gaze snapping over to her, her hands on her hips.

"Oh-uh-hey sis. Happy birthday..." He stammered, "It's just that... I can't find Buyo..." He put on his best innocent face so his sister wouldn't be too annoyed.

"Buyo is a cat. He goes where he wants." Kagome waved him off, "Now, come on. I don't feel like getting written up on my birthday." Her tone was harsh and she waited for her little brother to move. However, he just stood there.

"But...uh...I think he went into the shrine..." He spoke the words like a whisper.

Kagome's brows furrowed together, lips curling downward in a snarl, "And how did the cat get in?"

"Well, you see, I thought I heard something inside, so I opened the door to check and I... may have not closed it all the way." The little boy closed his eyes, preparing for the worst as he could sense his older sister coming closer and closer, her steps acting as his inevitable doom. His breath was held hostage in his throat as his insides trembled, preparing for the worst. But as her shadow encompassed his smaller frame and he could feel her standing over him like death over a victim, nothing happened.

He opened one eye to peek, and just saw her standing there, nothing but mild annoyance lacing her delicate features, "You're lucky I'm in a good mood today." She grunted, "I'll go inside and check. But if Buyo broke anything, you're taking the blame for it." All Sota could do was nod in response and exhale in relief.

Kagome marched over to the shrine door, confident at first, but as her hand reached to open it, she felt hesitance course through her. _C'mon girl. The longer that cat is inside, the more likely he's gonna break one of Gramps most prized possessions._ She willed herself to open the door, fighting her better instincts, and a cool air rushed to her face, like icy, dead finger tips brushing against her skin. She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth, chewing on it contemplatively. But she had made the decision to do this, and she wasn't going to stop now. Besides, it was just an old shrine. There wasn't any reason to be nervous. She had walked by drug dealers and gang members on her way to school nearly everyday, so this? It should be a cake walk.

She took a step inside, noticing how dark it was. There was only one window in the one-room shrine, and it was quite small. The light that shone through it was minimal and created striking shadows that decorated the walls like still figures. Kagome shivered, but continued, noting the dry well that was situated right in the middle of room, with a wooden cover over the top. She stared at it, though she couldn't pin point what about it pulled her attention in like moth to flame. And she just stood like a mannequin, frozen in time.

"Meeeooowwww." The sudden call of the cat shocked her back to Earth, and she peered around the room to see Buyo relaxing in the corner of the room. She locked eyes with him, and he trotted forward towards her, making his to rub himself against her bare legs. She sighed in relief and turned to leave.

"Oh you got him! Thanks Kagome!" Sota exclaimed, appearing in the doorway.

"Well, it wasn't exactly difficult. It's just an old shrine." She asserted confidently, ready to finally head off to school. However, it appeared that fate had other plans. She was about to take a step towards her brother when she heard a crashing sound behind her.

"Uh... Kagome..." The child's shaky voice, his fear and the trembling of his body all brought Kagome to a state of almost complete petrification. She stared at him, waiting for him to tell her what exactly happened behind her, because she sure as hell wasn't going to turn around herself, but he didn't have the time to. Suddenly, she felt pressure on both shoulders and her gaze dashed to the corner of her eyes. A pale hand was gripping her tightly, and before she could make a sound, it pulled her backwards. Up into the air she went, and the down. Down deep into the well. And everything went dark.

_What the-_ She was surrounded by uncertain blackness, as if she was in a void, floating there without a choice. But out of the emptiness appeared a glowy light around her, like neon walls. She blinked, unsure of what to do, but from her peripheral she could see movement. It was instinctual to turn, but as soon as she did, she regretted it.

"The jewel!" An inhuman face met Kagome's gaze, and her first thought was that the devil was a woman. The creature had some feminine features laced in with the overall monstrous existence that it was. The beady eyes that watched her hid a glint of insanity and sadism, and its mouth spread wide across its face. And that wasn't even the worst of it.

_This body... it has a female torso, but it's bottom looks like a... a centipede. And it has so many arms. What the hell is this?_

"Give me the jewel! Where is it?!" The monster hissed, scanning the girl intently, "I know you have it!" Two of her hands latched onto Kagome again, tightening the grip until it hurt.

"Damn... get back!" Kagome screeched, raising a hand to the monster's face. A bright light was released from her palms, like a flashlight, except when it touched upon the strange creature's body, she yelped like it hurt her. Like it burned.

And that was it. Whatever that thing was... it disappeared. And with it, disappeared the strange neon glowing that had surrounded her. As the confused schoolgirl looked around, she saw nothing around her but the stone of the well interior. She sighed, her body relaxing slightly. _That was some crazy hallucination... Damn, Sota must be out there hella scared. _She looked up, cocking a brow as she was met with the bright, daytime sky hovering over her. _That's weird... What happened to the ceiling?_

"Hello!?" She called out, "I fell! Can someone help me out?" She waited a few seconds for a response, but what met with empty silence that both worried and frustrated her. _I guess I gotta get myself outta here without help. Man, they really left me in a well._ She began gripping the stones and pulling herself upwards, feeling the stress in her arms. _Why is this real life right now? Happy birthday bitch, here's a damn well for you to climb out of. _She mocked herself inwardly until she was met with the outside. She pulled herself out, relieved that she had done it, but that relief was quickly put to rest as she looked around to see that she was completely outside with her home nowhere in sight.

_What drugs... am I on right now?_ Trees surrounded her, and she was able to deduce that she was in some clearing in a forest. _Maybe our well is connected by some underground passage that I crawled through somehow and ended up somewhere else. Doesn't make much sense, but whatever. I gotta get my ass home quick before some sketchy dudes hop out the cut and attack me or some dumb shit._

She began to wander down a path, but it didn't take long for her to see a large, stand-out tree practically screaming her name. _Isn't that the... tree in my yard?_ She looked at it carefully. The tree in her yard had always been the biggest tree she had ever seen, but considering that her house was nowhere in sight, she couldn't believe that this was it. It was then that she recalled the unusual mark on it that would prove whether or not this was the tree she knew very well.

The girl decided to walk around the base of the tree in search for the identifier, focus building up in her heard until she could practically feel her concentration like energy pushing against her skull. She was diligent, mapping the whole tree with her eyes as she made her way around it slowly.

Of course, she wasn't lucky enough to make it around the whole tree without complications. And what better complication that a sleeping boy stuck to it with an arrow?

Yep, there stood Kagome, gawking at the discovery of a boy who appeared a couple years older than her at most with long, silver hair and dog ears resting on top, stuck to the tree with what appeared to be an arrow, his eyes closed peacefully. He didn't seem dead. He didn't seem real. But there he was, in the flesh. Just casually stuck to a tree.

It took the girl several minutes to get herself together enough to get a bit closer to the boy. And she found herself staring right at his ears. They couldn't be real, and yet as she inspected them, there was nothing fake about them. Every centimeter of those dog ears seemed real and attached to the boys head. Which was, of course, impossible.

"Damn, I wanna touch 'em." She whispered to herself, reaching upwards and letting the tips of her fingers brush against the triangular appendages ever so carefully, "What am I doing? Am I really about to grab onto someone's ears like an idiot?" She hesitated for a moment, "Well, it looks like I am." She moved her hands to grip on to them, rubbing them softly until she felt the satisfaction build up inside of her. She retracted her hands back to her side and averted her gaze to the boy's face. It was relaxed and gentle looking, as though he had a man's facial structure but a child-like expression laid over it. His jaw was strong and his cheek bones were sharp and angular, but he still seemed to wear a sort of innocence across those features that laid over them like a thin blanket over a bed of stone.

"Um, excuse me." She said, albeit a bit quietly as she continued to drink in his features, "Doggy boy? Are you... okay?" _He definitely doesn't look dead to me... This would be the perfect time to have a phone on me so I could call an ambulance or something. _She shook her head. She couldn't be too far from civilization. She peered down at his clothes, noting the odd way he dressed. He wore baggy, bright red robes, the kind you wouldn't see anyone in her neighborhood wearing. She bit her lip and wondered what the hell this weird guy was doing, and was about to call out to him again, maybe even grab and shake his shoulders to wake him.

However, she was interrupted by the sound of rustling, the movement of the leaves and bushes around her. She paused before turning her head to see a group of men dressed in odd costumes circling her. They all had bows and arrows in hand, aiming straight at her.

"Get away from him." One man spoke, "Why are you here in the forest of Inuyasha, stranger?"

"Huh, I'm tryna figure that out myself." Kagome responded, brow cocked, "What is this anyways? Y'all look like you're reenacting some old war."

"Hey, look at those odd clothes. Perhaps she is a spy from another village." One man observed, ignoring her and looking over to the others for the next command, "Shall we capture her to investigate?"

"Yes." Another man confirmed, "Kaede will want to see her." The men nodded their heads at each other to communicate their mutual understanding, then they all began to close in on the confused schoolgirl. She backed herself against the strange boy on the tree, hoping to God that this was some weird reenactment that she just got herself into. Or a nightmare. Yes, a nightmare makes way more sense.

Still, even with the comforting thought that none of this was real, she still tensed up as the men neared her, "What the hell are you guys doing? I ain't no stupid spy! Dammit I'm just tryna get to school!"

"She speaks oddly." One man noted before grabbing her arms and pulling her onto the ground. They quickly and efficiently tied her hands behind her back and began dragging her mercilessly to the village. The rubble on the ground scraped against her legs, and she found herself wishing she had wore longer jeans today. But that's when it hit her that, if she was able to feel all the pain from being dragged, this probably wasn't a nightmare. Her eyes widened at that and she began to squirm more.

_Is this some... weird gang or something? Maybe it's one of those cults like on American Horror Story... shit are they gonna pull my teeth out and use them in some weird spell?! _No matter how hard Kagome tried to get out of this, the men's grips on her wouldn't budge, and she saw an old-fashioned village coming into view, the kind that appeared to have absolutely no modern technology or even modern structures. _Maybe they're... Amish? _She tried to make sense of it all but she couldn't. Nothing about this place seemed right.

"Here ya go, Kaede-sama. We found her near the forest getting awfully close to..._him._" Another man spoke, and they all threw Kagome to the ground so that she was in a bowing position in front of an old woman who, despite her age, had the demeanor of a stern leader. A crowd had formed around her, and whispers began to fill the air. Something about wars and demons, but nothing made sense to Kagome.

"Let me take a good look at yer face, child." Suddenly, a frail hand was holding onto the schoolgirl's chin, moving it around as Kaede's eyes scanned her intensely.

"Hey, don't touch me!" Kagome blurted out, but that didn't seem to phase the gray-haired woman one bit. She continued to observe her in silence before standing up and looking around at the masses, and they all appeared to be waiting for some sort of answer to who exactly Kagome was. Of course, the frustrating part was that Kagome couldn't see what was so hard about understanding that she was just a simple schoolgirl trying to get an education and not get involved with people's weird shit. But life just wasn't that easy.

"She has a likeness to the late Kikyo." Kaede announced, and everyone's faces lit up in shock, wide eyes and lips parted to take in heavy inhales. "But other than that, I see no threat in such a delicate girl." She looked down at Kagome, "Ye will be untied, then ye will come with me to discuss what ye were doing in such a forest. Near Inuyasha."

_Inuyasha? Is that the name of the boy on the tree? But what's wrong with him?_ Despite all of the questions the young girl had, she just nodded. She didn't wanna bombard the elder woman and risk getting into more trouble. _Maybe once she unties me, she can tell me how to get home._

The men untied Kagome and lifted her to her feet. She was then directed to a hut that appeared to be no different from the surrounding ones other than its slightly larger size. Even so, it still appeared rather small and unfit to live in, even by Kagome's standards. But she didn't say anything, but rather followed silently, taking in everything around her and storing it in her memory in case she needed to make a run for it.

"Ye all may return to yer former duties for today." Kaede declared to the surrounding men who were escorting them, "I will handle the child."

"I ain't a child." Kagome mumbled, though to quiet for anyone to hear. The men nodded before taking their leave, effecting leaving Kagome alone with who she could only assume was the head of this weird village. She motioned her to enter, and Kagome did so, finding the hut to be rather lackluster. There wasn't much but a fire pit in the center and few pots and vases. The girl moved in enough to let Kaede through the door, but stood there rather unsure of what to do next.

"Sit, child." Kaede motioned for her to sit near the fire pit, and Kagome nodded and followed the direction without complaints. _At least the floor looks clean. I'm not tryna get more dirt and grime all up on me. _She sat folding her legs under her thighs, her behind resting on her heels in what she hoped was a lady-like position. When Kaede made no comment and sat the same way, Kagome sighed in relief. She needed to appear like them in some way to get out of this.

"I apologize. With the current climate, our young can be so rash." Kaede began, "Not to mention, there was a demon sighting earlier in the forest. Ye can understand why the village has been on edge."

_Demon sighting? What is this lady going on about?_ Kagome managed to nod and keep her composure. _These people are wild. But I can't say anything right now or they might take me as a prisoner or something._

"Where are ye from, child?" The old lady asked, her tone warm and welcoming.

"Tokyo. Do you know how to get there from here?" The girl bit her lip tentatively as she hoped she'd be able to hurry up and leave. But she could see the confusion in Kaede's face as her forehead creased, deepening the wrinkles on her face.

"To-kee-yo?" She questioned as she raised a wrinkled finger to scratch her head, "I am afraid not. Ye must be from somewhere far from here. It is a wonder how you made it all this way without noticing."

"Real talk. I have no idea how I got here." Kagome sighed, shaking her head as a feeling of defeat washed over it, "Like I was just tryna get to school, but now I just wanna get home, feel me?"

"Feel ye? Child, I hope ye do not expect me to touch you beyond what is appropriate." The older woman wrinkled her nose, clearly not aware of the modern slang.

_You gotta be kidding me. I know this woman's old but bruh...How has she never heard that saying? _The young girl thought, now really confused as to where she was. She had to be somewhere close to home, and there was no place around where she was that wasn't crawling with urban slang. Even if old people rejected modern slang, they at least knew it. Or knew not to take it literally.

"No, it doesn't mean to literally feel me. It's like... understanding how I feel. When someone says 'feel me?', they mean do you feel what they're saying." She corrected, quickly taking in a breath before deciding to change the subject, "So, like, is this some sort of Amish town? Ya know, the ones that refuse to modernize. No electricity. No connection to cities. No cars."

The more she talked, the more puzzled Kaede became. She had never heard of such things. Perhaps this girl was insane. That could explain her ending up in the Forest of Inuyasha without a clue of where she came from. But still, the fact that she resembled the late Kikyo so much still concerned Kaede. She knew her sister was not some average priestess. And she knew the circumstances of her departure from the world was special. The Shikon jewel, which held the power to grant humans and demons alike with massive power, had been burned with her body.

_Kikyo desired that the jewel be burned with her body in order to remove it from this world. It was noble, indeed, but this girl... Makes me wonder if perhaps that was not the end of Kikyo's journey. _The old woman pondered as she gazed upon Kagome's face, tracing her features with her eyes. Kagome's lips were fuller, her nose was slightly more upturned, and her chocolate orbs were wider. And yet, it was as though Kikyo's face lingered over hers like a ghost. Even though the features weren't completely identical, the likeness was clear.

"I know not of cars, nor of these cities. We are just a modest village trying to survive through these war ridden times." The old woman responded, "But...I have to ask... do ye know of the Shikon--"

Just as the older woman was going to ask her question, a young man burst into the hut, chest heavy as he panted. His eyes were shrouded with urgency and his jaw trembled with a sort of fear that drove a shock through his system. The sound of his rough and shaky breaths filled the room and grabbed the attention of both women, who turned immediately to see.

"Lady Kaede... The village..." He sucked in a gulp of air and pointed outside, causing both of them to stand, "It's being attacked by a demon. Mistress Centipede."

Kagome's eyes widened. _Centipede? There's no way... Not that messed up _thing _I saw in the well... Shit._

Before either of them could move, Kagome took off, leaving the safety of the hut and locating the source of panic. As she saw youth and women rushing away, she willed her body to run in the opposite direction, pushing past the crowds of terrified villagers until she met the clearing on the edge of the town, where men with bows, arrows and spears were all targeting a large being. She slowly began recognizing the lower body of a centipede that slowly morphed into a female torso with the rising of her gaze.

And then she got to the face. The wide, sinister smile. The long, dark and mangled locks that trailed down the pale skin. And the short and round eyebrows that rested above those beady eyes; eyes that held nothing but a deep evil and murderous desire. It was like nothing Kagome had seen before, like a monstrous and nonhuman entity.

Whatever she was, she turned to Kagome, her smile widening, "The Jewel!" Mistress Centipede shrieked with sadistic joy, letting her gaze fall onto the girl, "Give me the jewel!" With one fell swoop of an arm, Mistress Centipede knocked several men back, their bodies hitting the ground with a thud.

_Bruh, what is this thing? And why does it keep demanding a jewel_? _Does it look like I got the funds to get me a jewel worth attacking people for? _Kagome shook her head, looking around and seeing the dozens of already injured men and toppled huts, _Regardless, this Mistress Centipede clearly wants me. And if I don't do something, more people are gonna get tossed around and hurt. I... I gotta get the hell away from this town in order to save all these people._

"Child, stay back. This demon is dangerous! Our men must slay it!" Kaede's voice rang from behind her, but it was too late. Kagome already made up her mind, and sprang into running mode, her feet pounding into the ground as she started making her way out of the village and into the forest. She didn't know why, but her gut instinct was pulling her back in the direction of the well. And her thin legs continued to speed through the trees as she heard the demon's call for the jewel quiet. Kagome was fast. Surely she could put some distance between her and the town. And hopefully, somewhere along the way, she could figure out her next plan to not get killed. Yeah, she had to do that. She had to do _something. _Anything would do. She was desperate.

"Help! Anyone!" She called out, her throat burning as she did. It wasn't the best plan she had come up with, to call for help in a seemingly empty forest, but it was all she had at the moment. She continued to call out as she sprinted.

Little did she know that her presence had awoken another being, one much stronger than anything she had ever known.

"I smell it." A rough voice spoke, "The scent of the woman who killed me. Kikyo."

This went unheard by the panicked girl, who begun to realize that distance she believed she put between herself and the demon was about to disappear. She could feel the presence of the demon coming up behind her, and, soon enough, Mistress Centipede lunged at Kagome, sending her flying through the air, landing with a thud in front of the dog-eared boy. She sat up, feeling a pain course through her body as she looked around. Her vision was blurry at first, seeing nothing but waves of color. But the images shortly sharpened, and she found herself drawn again to the boy that was pinned to the tree. Except instead of seeing peaceful slumber settled over his body, she saw the piercing of gold eyes staring back at her, along with a wicked grin.

_What the hell? What's up with him? Why is he looking at me like that? _She wondered, though as sounds of shouting villagers closed in, she knew she had other things to worry about for the time being. The demon couldn't be far behind. In fact, she was sure that she would be attacked again at any moment. So, Kagome stood and dusted herself off, preparing herself to react to whatever would come at her.

"What's wrong, Kikyo? Just do her like ya did me." Again, a rough voice filled the air, and she curiously turned her head to see that the boy was clearly amused by something, "Keh, don't tell me you're too weak to kill that thing."

_That must be Inuyasha...But, what did he just call me? Kikyo? That's what everyone keeps saying..._

"I don't know who Kikyo is, but you can bet she ain't me." Kagome responded, her momentary distraction causing her to once again get hit by Mistress Centipede as she appeared through the trees. She smacked Kagome and the girl tumbled to the ground closer to Inuyasha, who only cackled at her pain. To her relief, the villagers appeared, throwing their spears and shooting their bows and arrows, catching the attention of the demon once again, allowing Kagome to recover once more. But she could feel her body getting weak as she realized she didn't have much of a plan to get out of this situation. And she began wishing all she had to worry about were the small street gangs she passed on the way to school.

"C'mon Kikyo." Inuyasha mocked again, "Just kill the damn thing."

Unfortunately, with her desperation and fear came a lack of patience. And the girl found herself losing patience as this boy continued to mock her and call her Kikyo during this already stressful situation.

"Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo!" She shouted, gritting her teeth and showcasing her agitation with her hands on her hips and her lips puckered, "I got a surprise for you, asshole. My name's not Kikyo. It's Kagome. Ka-go-me! Need me to spell it?"

He eyed her, the unfamiliar mannerisms of the girl taking him by surprise. It wasn't like Kikyo to talk that way, nor was it like her dress in clothes that revealed her legs. He breathed in heavily through his nose, allowing himself to concentrate on her scent before his eyes widened considerably. Something in the scent was different. Kikyo always smelled floral and grassy, like a field of roses. But right now, there was something more sweet like in this girl's scent. Like honey and sugar. Something he couldn't believe he missed the first time.

"You... you're not Kikyo." He huffed, now more confused than anything.

"Congratu-fucking-lations." She bit back, "Glad you caught on."

Now slightly annoyed with her attitude, he narrowed his gaze, "Yeah, Kikyo was way cuter."

Shocked, Kagome felt her blood begin to boil, wondering where this random boy got the audacity to begin insulting her right in the middle of a situation like this. The skin of her face began to burn as though he had ignited a fire somewhere deep within her, smoke circling her bones.

"I'm gonna say this and I'm gonna say it once. I don't care who Kikyo is. She can be as cute as she wants. But I'm about to die. So the opinion of some jerk on a tree is irrelevant." Kagome waved her hands around as she spoke, incorporating most of her body in her small rant, "But you know what, before I die, I'm gonna need you to know that I'm cute. I'm lit. I'm Kagome Higurashi."

Of course, she could have went on if it hadn't been for the fact that her body had been grabbed by Mistress Centipede, who began pulling her into the air. In a split second, Kagome lurched forward and grabbed two thick locks of Inuyasha's silver hair to keep her from being taken, though she could feel the pressure of the demon's grip tightening along her waist, putting pressure on her insides.

"Dammit, wench! Let go of me!" He yelped as he felt the pull on his head. But she stayed steady in her grip. Mistress Centipede leaned in, attempting to bite Kagome. As her mouth opened, Kagome could see the many sharp fangs that were about to pierce her skin, a sudden jolt of desperation now flowing through her body intertwined with this adrenaline that she had never felt before.

"Get away from me!" Kagome hissed, letting one hand release Inuyasha's hair to push the demon. But as she did, she could feel the adrenaline build up in her hand, like a growing energy, and release through her skin, causing a light to appear; the same light she had summoned earlier. Suddenly, the grip on her was gone and she fell back onto the ground. And as the light disappeared, she could see that she had blown off a few of the demon's arms somehow.

_I...I still don't know how exactly I'm doing all of this. But I'm not complaining. _She got up to face her attacker, who growled in annoyance, but quickly recovered and eyed Kagome's ribs.

"The jewel! I will get it!" She shrieked, lunging again and this time focusing her attack on Kagome's ribs. Her claws broke through the girl's skin and thrust her into the air. A sharp pain began spreading through Kagome's body, followed by a numbing sensation, though she didn't quite seem to focus on that. What really caught her attention was the small, pink orb that came flying out of her wound. It glowed lightly with some kind of relaxing, yet powerful aura that she couldn't quite explain.

_There's no way... I had some little jewel inside of me this whole time? But how... _She wondered as she continued to fall back down to Earth, the harsh hit of her body to the ground bringing her out of her head and into reality. The reality where she was about to either bleed out or be killed by a demon. What a birthday.

What she didn't expect, though, was that the long body of the Centipede would knock her into Inuyasha and continue to wrap around the tree, effectively crushing her against him.

_Oh great. I'm boutta die with this jerk. _She looked up and saw that he now wore a rather serious, yet calm expression. _But why... why isn't he scared? _As she pondered this, the Centipede demon devoured the mysterious jewel, shedding it's previous pale skin to reveal a blotchy, purple layer underneath. Her eyes glowed a bright red and any human remnants were gone as the demon cackled.

_Oh no. I'm so screwed! _Kagome prepared herself to be crushed before she heard Inuyasha speak.

"Hey." He appeared pensive as he spoke in a firm voice, "Can you pull that arrow out?" She averted her eyes to the arrow that appeared to have pierced his heart and pinned him to the tree, though it seemed it wasn't actually hurting him. He was just stuck. And while she didn't quite understand how he was alive, she figured that was a mystery to solve another time, if she even lived to see that time.

"Child! Ye must not release Inuyasha from the spell that binds him!" Kaede called out, "He is far too dangerous!"

_Dangerous? This guy? _Kagome thought, her eyes quickly darting from the arrow to the boy in confusion.

"All of you will die if I don't kill this bastard!" Inuyasha shouted back, "Keh, just listen to me, wench. Do you want to live or not?"

"I..." Kagome hesitantly raised her arm, stretching until her fingers could wrap around the arrow, "I choose to live!" As she tugged on the arrow, an aura surrounded it and it burst into this glittery light that enveloped her hand before disappearing, revealing that the arrow was no longer there.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, now smirking once more as he chuckled mischeviously. "Finally. Get ready, psycho bastard. Not even swallowing the Shikon jewel will make you powerful enough to take me on."

"Is that right, half-breed?" Mistress Centipede retorted, squeezing even tighter, "The Shikon jewel makes me unstoppable!"

"Keh, we'll see about that." Inuyasha huffed before his body went tense. Kagome watched as he appeared to be summoning up all his energy, his eyes closed though his cocky grin still present. Then, all of a sudden, it was like his muscles pulsed with power and he opened his eyes, "Iron-Reaver Soul-Stealer!" He shouted as he cut through the demon's body, finally freeing himself and Kagome from her grip. Mistress Centipede grunted, but hissed back in anger and aggression, prompting Inuyasha to leap up and attack again.

_What the hell is this guy? _The girl thought to herself, _What did that demon call him? A half-demon? The fuck does that even mean? ...But... He sure saved me. Whatever he is, I'm grateful for that._

"Child!" Kaede calls, grabbing Kagome's attention as pieces of Mistress Centipede's flesh continued to fall to the ground after each attack, "Ye must locate the jewel!"

"The jewel? But how..." She cut herself off as her eyes settled onto a piece of flesh that seemed to glow with a dim, pink light. _That's the same aura the jewel had when it was cut outta me... That must be it in there... But how the hell can I see it? _She didn't give herself time to contemplate that further, though. Right now, this was about taking action. So, she ran up to the light and reluctantly stuck her hand inside, pulling out the small, round jewel and holding it in the palm of her now blood covered hand. And just by holding it could she feel this wave of purity and serenity over her. The jewel itself seemed to calm as well in her presence.

Kaede approached her, a look of urgency on her face, "Ye must protect the Shikon Jewel at all costs. Protect it from anyone who seeks to abuse it's power."

"Like who?" Kagome questioned, cocking a brow. Mistress Centipede didn't appear to be a problem anymore. And she couldn't fathom more of those creatures existing. It was hard enough to accept the fact that that one did.

"Keh, she's talking about me." Inuyasha dropped to the ground in between the two women, flexing his blood stained claws. He had finished off the demon, a feat he clearly enjoyed, "Hand over the jewel, wench. We both know you ain't got the power to protect it from me."

Eyes wide, she gripped the jewel in her hands, "Y-you? Why the hell would you want this jewel? Aren't you already like crazy powerful?"

"He is merely half demon. He seeks the power of a full demon." Kaede explained, earning herself an annoyed look from the boy.

"It don't matter why I want the jewel. All that matters is that I want it, so I'm gonna get it." Once again, the half-demon cracked his knuckles and narrowed his gaze on Kagome, "Whether that means killing you or not. Got it, wench?" She couldn't believe how amused he was right now. As though the thought of killing her was as simple as a hunter shooting a deer. Did he really see her as that disposable? Kagome didn't know what it meant to be a half-demon, but he appeared to have some human qualities. Was empathy and compassion not one of them?

_I want to live. But if he gets this jewel and turns into some monster like Mistress Centipede did, then I don't think any of us will make it out alive. _She realized, her grip on the jewel tightening, _I don't know what this guy is thinking of doing to me, but I'm not boutta let him get his hands on even more power._

He took a step forward, amused by her hesitation. But that amusement was slowly decreasing as time went on. He was tired of being denied the jewel, and he was annoyed that this girl thought she could stop him from taking it. Not after all of this time.

As he got closer to her, one word began shooting through her head, bouncing off of the walls of her mind. Run. Run. Run. _Run._ And that was it, she bursted into a fast sprint for the second time that day, navigating through trees and bushes, jumping over branches and looking for something, anything that could help her. Maybe another strange boy? One that wouldn't turn around and target her after? She doubted it but pressed on as she heard his voice bellow behind her.

"You can't outrun me, wench." He lunged into the air above her, his sharpened claws aiming to take off Kagome's head. He had convinced himself at this point that he would do anything to get his hands on that jewel, even harm an innocent girl. Even if he could feel a part of him pulling him away from her, screaming at him to stop. _I ain't got another choice. She ain't about to give this jewel to me willingly. _He neared her, readying himself for the smell of her blood to taint the scene and the pouring scarlet that would stain his hands.

But she ducked. She didn't know what compelled her to do so, but she did and in doing so, tumbled to the ground. It took her a moment to really process what happened as she saw him land ahead of her, a frown now displaying on his face. Just looking at him now she couldn't believe that she ever saw him as seeming _peaceful_ when he was clearly anything but. No, he was acting just like that monster except more cunning and stronger. And she was sure now that, unless there was a miracle, she would be doomed to die at his hands.

"You... you really tried to kill me." She hissed, getting up and ignoring all the pain she felt in her bones and the strong throbbing she felt from her wound. _That was no damn joke. The guy who just saved my life is legit out here tryna end it._

"Keh, and I won't miss next time, wench." He retorted, though he knew that he _shouldn't _have even missed this hit. Something in him held back. Something in him didn't actually want to kill her in cold blood. He knew a better part of him wanted to just scare her with hopes that she would give in and hand him the jewel. _But why? Why the hell do I feel like some sort of villain? I'm half demon, aren't I? Why do my stupid human feelings get in my way all the damn time? I shouldn't care that she's just some weak girl. _

Kagome willed herself to start running again, feeling like her energy might just run out at any moment, but knowing that she didn't have much of a choice. She knew she had keep going now. Even though she feared like it may be in vain, Kagome Higurashi was no quitter. And if she was going to die, she would make it as hard as she could for him to do it. She pressed on, until she reached a clearing. She could see the edge of land end and then pick up again in the distance. And what connected them was a small little bridge. She picked up the sound of rushing water, knowing that below must be a river. She knew needed to cross that bridge. And if he tried something, she would have to jump and hope it was not shallow water.

As she made her way, he went for another attack and the girl stumbled, barely dodging his sharp claws once more. But, in her hasty movements, she fell forward and the jewel went soaring out of her grip, rolling onto the bridge ahead. She quickly got up, hoping she could beat the boy to it, but as her skin felt too heavy on her bones, she realized running to the bridge was becoming a far away dream.

"I got it now." Inuyasha chuckled, and, much to her dismay, he landed onto the bridge before she could make it. He bent over and picked it up, toying with the pink orb between his fingers. "Keh, finally. After all this time, its mine. You failed, wench." He gave her a devious look, narrowing his eyes as if to brag about his victory and to mock her soon to be demise. If he had any qualms about killing her before, he was sure after becoming a full demon, that would all be gone. He would never have reservations about using his powers to get what he wanted. He'd never feel guilty about harming anyone. He would know nothing but power and victory.

"No! You're just another monster who's gonna use it's power to kill people!" Kagome hissed, clenching her fists tightly, noticing the empty spot where the jewel had rested in her palm..

He cracked his knuckles, "Then, get ready to die."

But it was at that moment that small rays of white light appeared, flying swiftly through the air and landing on the half-demon's neck. They glowed for a moment, and he looked down at the odd light, just as perplexed as the girl before him was. But it soon faded, dimming until all that was left were these strange beads arranged into a necklace. Inuyasha cocked a brow, lifting his finger to touch the beads, though he couldn't deduce what they were or why they wrapped around him so. They were smooth and hard, but didn't seem to hold any demonic energy as he would expect. And he knew the girl hadn't summoned them. He wasn't even sure she knew how to harness her apparent abilities in any meaningful, purposeful way.

"Child! Ye must say the word to hold Inuyasha's spirit!" Kaede's voice echoed as she ambled into the scene.

"Hold his spirit?" Kagome asked, looking back at the woman with confusion, "How the hell would I know what to say? I don't even know this asshole!"

"Just say anything to subdue him!" The older woman shouted, urgency ringing in her tone as she noticed the half-demon getting suspicious. He took a step forward, knowing all too well that whatever that Kaede had in store for him, he wouldn't like.

_Anything? Like stop? Halt? Slow your roll?What in the actual fuck am I supposed to say!_ She cursed inwardly, beginning to feel the anxiety rake against her limbs, desperately taking in a deep breath as if the answer was somewhere in the atmosphere waiting to be sucked in. Her gaze wandered over to Inuyasha, him taking another step towards both of them. He looked dissatisfied with the situation, clearly puzzled by the strange necklace. And as she examined him closely, her eyes landed on the silver appendages on his head. _I forgot about those doggy ears! _

She tried to come up with something clever, hoping to decode whatever Kaede had said about subduing the half-demon, but he took another step and she panicked. Kagome shut her eyes tight and called out, "Sit, boy!" It wasn't the wittiest thing she ever came up with, and her shaky voice held no semblance of confidence as she forced that yelp from her throat. And yet, the second the words slipped from her lips, she hurt the startled grunt of a boy caught by surprise before hearing a harsh thud.

"Huh?" Kagome opened her eyes to see Inuyasha's body lying flat on the bridge, clearly having done a face plant into the wood planks. _There's no way... Bruh, I just used a dog command and he's down on the ground? How does that even work? _Of course, the girl was not complaining about it. She clearly did something right despite her earlier reservations.

Inuyasha slowly got up, brows not furrowed together furiously as he grabbed the necklace, harshly tugging it up to no avail, "What the hell is this thing and why can't I get it off?!" He shouted, his tone laced annoyed ferocity. Every time he tugged upwards, it was like a force weight it down, as though an invisible hand was stopping it from going any further. But, just in case, he kept tugging it at it, putting all of his strength into pulling it off of it. Whatever it was Kagome yelled at him managed to sent him plummeting to the ground harshly because of those beads. And not only did he worry that this turn of events would cost him the jewel once more, but damn he couldn't stand the humiliation of being beat by some weak girl who clearly has no idea what's going on.

"It's no use, Inuyasha." Kaede commented, seeing his reaction as he pulled up tirelessly, "Ye do not possess the strength to take them off. Nor do ye have the ability to fight off the word of subjugation."

"Is that right, ya old hag?" He barked back, still trying to get it off, "Keh, you can bet you're gonna be the first one I slaughter. Though it looks like you're half dead anyways!"

Looking back, Kagome made eye contact with the older woman, who nodded at her to use the word. She turned back to the half-demon with a look of confidence shining on her face, "Sit, boy! Sit, boy! Sit, boy!" And, just like that, Inuyasha fell to ground, each subjugation adding a layer of harsh gravity to his fall while the jewel flew from his grasp. Unfortunately for him, the pressure of the commands was proving too much for the bridge. By the third thud, it had become too weak, breaking. His body fell through and into the water, the current taking him for a quick ride before he regained control and hopped out and onto the small shore, completely soaked and frustrated. Kagome watched him from above before picking up the Shikon jewel and rolling it between her fingers.

"Well, what a turn of events." She muttered, "I'm not sure what these events are exactly, but it's quite the 180... Fuck, I wish I was at school." She frowned, looking at the half-demon who shook the water off of his body violently before looking back at Kagome, his lip poking out in discontentment.

_I guess I can assume this place doesn't have birthday cake? It's the perfect "fuck you" ending to this weird birthday... _She suddenly became aware of the piercing pain in her stomach from the still open wound Mistress Centipede gave her. _Nope. The perfect "fuck you" will be the sepsis I'm boutta get... And self-deprecating humor does not fix that. If it did, I'd be feeling fantastic because my life is clearly some kind of joke._She looked back at Kaede who motioned her to follow, "Come, child. Yer wounds surely need some attention. I will tend to them."

Sighing, Kagome obeyed. _Not quite a doctor, but at least I don't have to worry about a bill, right? _And the two headed back to the village, the Shikon jewel safe in their hands.

**Wellllllll. Tell me. What do you all think? I know when people hear urban, they expect this one kind of person. And sure, some of the slang and language is probably what you expected, but I don't want Kagome to be a caricature of what people stereotype the ghetto to be. She's gonna have that quick wit and have that modern sense of humor. And what purity/goodness means isn't going to center around agreeableness and politeness. I want Kagome to be undeniably good at heart without having that sweet to a fault personality.****So, REVIEW! WHAT DO YOU THINK!? SHOULD I CONTINUE? WANT THE NEXT CHAPTER? LET ME KNOWWWWW **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: More Assholes After The Jewel**

**Alright here's CHAPTER 2! While Chapter 1 followed the show/manga pretty closely, we're soon gonna see how Kagome's personality always had the power to change the course of the story.**

**Are we ready?**

"Fuck! What is this?" Kagome shouted as Kaede applied medicine to her wound, "Did you even go to medical school? Are you even qualified to be treating this?" The girl grimaced as the older woman continued to treat the wound. They sat together in her hut near the fire pit that rested in the center.

"Who else would be qualified in this village if not for the village priestess?" The older woman replied, accustoming herself to the girl's choice of language. _Her likeness to Kikyo is undeniable, but her behaviors and attitude are... questionable. _She took a glance up at Kagome, her face still contorted with pain, _And yet, even though she speaks like a drunkard, even I can sense this purity within her. This is quite curious indeed. _Kaede wasn't one to challenge what fate brought to her. And fate decided to put a crude teenager at her doorstep with the Sacred Jewel lodged in her ribcage, Kaede knew to just take the punches and move on. Life worked more efficiently when one focused less on the how's and more on the next step. She continued to tend to her wounds, feeling Kagome relax a bit as time went on.

"Wow, everyone's already out here rebuilding after all the damage." Kagome observed as she glanced out through the doorway, watching all the townsfolk pick up debris and start working on the new huts outside.

"Yes, we must be quick with our recovery." The older woman nodded her head, finishing up her treatment before wrapping her wound up, "With the jewel back, there are going to be those who seek it's power. And it will not be just demons either. Humans with evil in their hearts will desire to obtain it."

Kagome blinked, now feeling increasingly paranoid that something would appear out of nowhere and attack again. Of course, if they did, she assumed that Inuyasha would want to fight it off. Even if she's refusing to give him the jewel, she knew he definitely didn't want someone else getting it.

She looked to the other side of her, "What the hell are you doing in this hut anyways?" She cocked a brow at Inuyasha who was lying down on his side, his back facing the two women defiantly, as if to make a statement about how much he despised them.

He slowly turned his head, scowling, "Ain't it obvious?" He rolled his eyes, "I want the jewel."

"That's cute that you think you're gonna get it, doggy boy." Kagome smirked, enjoying having the upper hand on him after everything that happened. Against this strong demon guy, she managed to come out victorious. Granted, she had some help from Kaede, but she still took her victory with pride, beaming confidently.

"The rosary is working quite well to keep him at bay." Kaede remarked, referring to his calm behavior in the hut. He clearly feared the subjugation, if at least a little bit.

"Yeah it is. I love it. We should leash up all these demons." Kagome laughed, watching as the frown on Inuyasha's face grew. Her expression softened, "Hey. Its not that big of a loss. So what if you're a half demon? You're clearly stronger than some full demons. Relax, no one likes a power hungry puppy." Once again, he rolled his eyes, his fists clenched as he began to really regret missing those attacks.

"He desires to become a full demon, not just for power." Kaede nonchalantly commented, "Half demons are looked down upon. He desires full blood status. Respect for his strength."

As she finished her explanation, the silver haired boy violently punched a hole in the ground before getting up and shaking off the left over aggression. "Quit talking like you know me. You're just some old hag! You know nothing about me." He asserted, bearing his fang as a light growl came through. He breathed in heavily, his chest rising dramatically as he did, and his muscles were tight with aggravation.

"Ye do not remember?" The older woman ignored his violent tantrum, looking at him with neither fear nor shock, "I am Kaede, younger sister to Kikyo. Fifty years have passed, and I have grown old... But it is I. And I remember you, Inuyasha."

"Huh?" Inuyasha scratched his head as he recalled the small girl that would accompany Kikyo for some of her daily duties, "You're that little runt? Ha! If you're like this, Kikyo must be an ugly, old bat now. That's how you humans grow, aging so damn fast."

But Kaede paused for a moment before correcting him, "My sister... Kikyo died the same day she pinned you to that tree with a spellbound arrow. Her wounds were too great. And she had the Shikon Jewel burned with her body." Silence overcame the room, and Kagome could tell that, whatever the hell Kaede was talking about and whoever this Kikyo was was making the half-demon pause in thought. Even if just for a moment.

But that moment ended far too quick, and Inuyasha plopped back down to his position on the floor, "Heh, so she kicked the bucket, huh? That's a relief."

_So, this guy was shot to a fucking tree by this magic Kikyo 50 years ago? And Kikyo was the one who had the jewel originally? Man, this place is a fucking trip... _Kagome thought to herself, shaking her head, _And the arrow she used to pin him to the tree had some sort of spell on it? He had no idea 50 years even passed! Bruh... What are these people?_

"Ye should not celebrate so quickly. Yer troubles are not over yet, Inuyasha." The older woman interrupted her thoughts, and both teenagers quickly turned to look at her, "Kagome here... She is Kikyo's reincarnation."

"Excuse me... I'm Kikyo's _what?_" The young girl wrinkled her nose at that statement. There was no way she was anyone's anything here in this wild town. Or so she thought.

"I had my suspicions when I saw your resemblance. And it only grew when you released a that flash of spiritual energy at Mistress Centipede..." The older woman began to explain, "But it became irrefutable when the Sacred Jewel came from inside of you. Ye are Kikyo's reincarnation. And ye must protect the jewel."

"Protect it? The hell I am! Did you see what kind of monsters want it? I had to deal with that Centipede bitch first, then I had this lost dog tryna rip me apart." Kagome shook her head violently and waved her hands around, "I can throw hands with an average Joe on the block, but I am not ready to deal with claws and fangs and multiple arms. No, you seem to have everything under control. I cannot do this."

"Who the hell are you calling lost dog?!" Inuyasha huffed, "Keh, you sure she's Kikyo's reincarnation with a mouth like that on her?"

"Oh I'm sorry. Was that disrespectful? Yeah, almost as disrespectful as you tryna claw at my flesh. So calm it down Balto." The young girl spit back.

"What the hell is a Balto!?" Inuyasha grunted, "The hell are you talking about, wench?"

"Oh my God, the dog movie. Balto." She just sighed, remember just how far away she was from her modern civilization, "You know what, get out of my face. Shut up and sit." And just like that, the boy's face kissed the wood floor with intense ferocity while Kagome rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the older woman. Kaede blinked a few times with confusion and concern. She had to agree that, if she ever were to picture Kikyo's reincarnation, she would never have imagined she'd act like this. But the evidence was there, and Kaede was sure that Kagome was her sister reborn. And she also knew that it had always been Kikyo who had the power to protect the jewel, and she was certain it'd be the same for Kagome. Somewhere inside this young girl was a spiritual energy that was rare in this world, even if she was never trained in how to harness it.

"Kagome, ye must protect it. This is a calling ye cannot ignore. If demons get a hold of this jewel, we will all be in danger." The older woman maintained, raising a finger in the air, "We cannot afford for anyone else to have it."

_Oh great. I bet this isn't even a paid gig... _Kagome pursed her lips and slouched in defeat, _Can I ask for money? ... Do they even have normal money. Fuck, probably not... Well, when life gives you lemons, suck it up and make lemonade. I got this... I really fucking hope I got this_.

_~Later that day~_

"Look! She's the reincarnation of Lady Kikyo!"

"When you think about it, there is something saintly about her."

"We have to show respect for the lady!"

Kagome wandered about the village, feeling the stares of the villagers pressing against her skin like the soft touch of a breeze. Except of course, this was far more uncomfortable than the tickle of the wind. She didn't know any of them, and yet they looked up to her with this heavy glint of admiration shining like stars in their eyes. They acted like they they were looking upon a miracle in the flesh, when in reality, Kagome saw herself as an average teen living in the inner city. As they continued to talk, she lowered her head and pretended to be unaware of their compliments, watching the dirt path as her feet pounded against it, her sneakers covered in debris. There were no cement roads and no sidewalks, just grass and dirt paths. She noticed the dirt stains on her jeans, and she patted them down, suddenly aware of how all the other village women dressed and how reserved they all were. And here she was in shorts that revealed everything from her thighs down and a top that showed her shoulder and arms. She couldn't say that she felt self-conscious due to her appearance, but she really wasn't a fan of all the attention she was getting and how _different _she felt in front of everyone.

"Oh! Lady Kagome!" A few villagers approached her, with one woman eagerly holding a basket of fruits, "Here! We would love to give you this to honor your presence in this village." The woman lifted the basket to hand it to her, and Kagome gave them a puzzled look.

"Oh, you don't have to..." Kagome began before she was cut off

"Oh, please take it. We insist!" Another woman cooed, and they all smiled brightly, they lips stretched across their faces so wide that it looked like it should hurt.

"Oh... uhh... okay, then. Thank you." Kagome bowed awkwardly and the small crowd of folks dispersed, all satisfied with their small offering. _I really hope they don't plan on giving me more gift baskets... I hate this weird celebrity treatment. _Kagome frowned as she continued to walk on down the path with no destination. _Maybe I'll go and hide in Kaede's hut or something. Being with her is better than being with these weird villagers. I'd even take that Inuyasha's crude attitude over this... _As she got further along, reaching the outskirts, she realized that fewer villagers were around this area.

"Huh... seems pretty much deserted." She commented quietly, looking around before spotting the source. Inuyasha was sitting on some branch high in the trees, arms crossed and looking irritated at nothing. She remembered how Kaede made the comment about how half-demons are treated, and wondered if the villagers avoided him because of his heritage. Of course, the vicious attacks for the jewel probably didn't help either. But still. He didn't seem completely bothered by his isolation. In fact, he seemed used to it just sitting up their alone.

She walked up the tree and grabbed a pear from her fruit basket, deciding in that moment to throw it up at him. His back was facing her and she half expected the fruit to slam into him or something.

But that wasn't the case. As the pear flew to him, he made a move to catch it, not even having to turn around. He examined the pear as if he expected it to be a fake, then turned his head to eye the culprit. When he saw Kagome standing there, he cocked a brow, sniffing the air to see if she brought a mob with her somewhere to chase him out of town. He wouldn't be too surprised at that, though he had assumed the beads of subjugation were enough to quell everyone's fears of him. But he smelled no one coming closer and that theory went out the window.

"What's with all the damn fruit?" He questioned, poking his bottom lip.

"I'm like a fucking princess here. The villagers gave me this to honor me." She smirked, "But I'm not the biggest fan of the attention so I came out here and found you. Why don't you get your ass down here and eat with me?"

He blinked momentarily, not quite sure how to feel about her invitation. Though he could enjoy a nice snack at about this time. So, he cautiously jumped down, landing besides her and giving her a stern look. It was like a silent warning that he was suspicious of her, one that she replied to with an even more amused smirk. He looked her up and down, eyes glazing over every feature.

"Alright you're gonna have to not stare at me like that." She asserted before sitting at the base of the tree and patting down at the spot next to her. "C'mon, don't make me say it."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in momentary desperation, a sudden jolt of fear shooting through him. It was clear that by _it _she meant _sit_, the word that would bring him crashing down to the ground. He quickly sat down next to the girl, crossing his legs and his arms and raising his head up high in a proud manner as he usually did. However, as soon as he settled into his position, he quickly took a peek at the girl next to him to ensure that she was satisfied and wouldn't subdue him for anything.

She met his gaze with a laugh, taking out an apple from her basket, "So, what's the deal with this place? It's fucking weird, am I right? I mean, you tried to kill me yesterday and yet you're the most normal one around." She looked off into the distance, taking a bite of the red apple.

He looked at her carefully, first noticing the shape of her wide eyes and the way her long lashes curled upwards. His gaze then fell on her pointed, upturned nose with its flat, thin bridge that rested above her fuller, defined and slightly rosy lips. He could see the resemblance just like everyone else who had known Kikyo would. But damn, he was confused as to how he ever thought she was identical to her. Kikyo always had slimmer features, from thinner eyes to smaller, dainty lips. Her skin was paler, and her hair was straighter. Kagome's exact features were much bolder. He huffed inwardly, these distinctions relaxing him slightly but not bringing his paranoia from completely off the edge. As she looked out, her eyes swimming with unreadable thoughts, he couldn't bring himself to not dislike her. And not just because of the jewel. Something about her disturbed his normalcy in a way no one had before. For one, she was talking to him so _casually _and out of her _free will_, talking to him like he was just another guy. And he didn't like that he has never had to navigate that. It was unfamiliar territory, and it pissed him off.

After a few moments, she could feel him looking at her. He might as well have been tapping on his shoulder with how intensely he eyed her.

"Bruh, any reason you're looking at me like that?" She asked, taking another bite of the apple and never bothering to look back at him.

"I'm onto you." Was all he said, and he continued to analyze her features to try and figure out what she playing at right now. _I know she can't just be nonchalantly eating with me without some sort of angle. Keh, it's a trick and I know it. _

"You caught me." She giggled, "I'm giving you poisoned fruit that'll turn you into a cat."

He growled and rolled his eyes, "I get it. You know I just want the jewel. You're just tryna lure me into a false sense of security!"

_False sense of security? Is this guy for real? _She sighed, finally turning to look at him, "You really do hate me. Like not just 'cause I have the jewel. You hate me on a personal level, don't you?"

"You have nooo idea!" He groaned dramatically, pouting as he did as though her mere presence was enough to annoy him.

"What's your problem? Like are you mad that I didn't let you fucking murder me? Are you mad that I won't let you use the jewel to do terrible things? What's really good because I'm honestly just being nice to you." She rolled her eyes, taking another bite and thinking about everything she knew about the strange doggy boy. "Oh, wait... I get it."

He growled, "Get what, wench?"

"You clearly hate that Kikyo. And you're taking it out on me." She began, narrowing her eyes on him, "Well, fuck that. I'm not Kikyo. And I deserve a bit more respect than getting some secondhand anger for shit I didn't do. If I'm willing to forgive your violent attacks, you can do your part and stop giving me attitude." She held her position, her stare intensifying until he felt as though her glare was actually entering him through his eyes.

"H-Heh, you don't know what you're talking about, wench." He bit back, though he wasn't as harsh as he wanted to be. He contemplated jumping back up to his branch and just ignoring her, but she spoke up once more before he could.

"My name is Kagome. And if not that, then what?" She questioned, "...Are you...are you not used to people actually being nice to you?" _...Kaede said he's a half-demon and that half-demons aren't treated well in society... But I'm not sure to what extent she's talking about. Could it be that half-demons are completely ostracized? Maybe people really aren't ever nice to him..._

"I don't need people to be nice to me." He asserted, "And I don't give a damn about what anyone thinks of me. Including you. I just want the jewel."

"Just drop the tough guy act. I don't have demons where I'm from, so, to be frank, I don't know anything about half demons or heritage hierarchies." Kagome argued back, "So, you being a half demon means nothing to me. I don't give a shit about that. Me being nice to you is me being nice to you. You and Kaede are the only ones in this town not treating me like some weird royal. So, can't you just have a normal meal with me?"

"There ain't no tough guy act." He grumbled, looking away. "I don't got a reason to have a normal meal with you. I'm after the jewel so I gotta be merciless. And I'm gonna get it."

"Is that so? Did you forget that all I have to say is _sit_ and--" Kagome was interrupted by the half-demon plummeting to the ground forcefully with a yelp. Biting her lip, she watched as his body twitched with pain before he lifted himself back up, face burning with anger and embarrassment.

"My bad! I didn't actually mean to say it." She apologized, scratching her head and feeling the slightest bit of guilt built up in her.

"Dammit..." He groaned, feeling an impeding sense of doom surround him. _This girl is gonna be the death of me._

_~Later~_

The day passed. Inuyasha had made sure to retreat after Kagome's accidental subjugation, avoiding her for the rest of the time, much to her dismay. Arguing with him was better than dealing with all the misplaced compliments she was receiving from the villagers. She started feeling envious of Inuyasha's demonic abilities, like being able to jump up into trees to avoid talking to people. But after a while, she had been able to slip from everyone's sight and off to Kaede's hut while the older woman was still out doing her daily duties. It still baffled her that people lived in these one room homes, sleeping on futons and using firepits for warmth and light. She knew she didn't live in what people considered the best conditions, but she still had a mattress and electricity. Not to mention running water and a toilet.

_I've been here for over a day now, and no one around seems to know where Tokyo is. I'm starting to suspect that... somehow I ended up far back into the... the Feudal Era. _Kagome rolled her bottom lip in between her teeth, _Mama...Grandpa...Souta. They must be worried as hell. I gotta get back at any cost. There's no way I can hang around and protect this orb from demons._

But she knew there wasn't much to do as of now. The daylight was already fading, and there was no way she'd go wandering out at night, not with the darkness to cast shadows on any creeping monster who would want to kill her. No, she would let soft slumber lay over her for now, and in the morning, she would rise with the sun and seek out a way home.

_I arrived through the dry well in the Forest of Inuyasha. Jumping back down is probably the only to make it back. _She turned to look at the second futon Kaede had put out for her. She was grateful to have someone like her around who welcomed her in this hut and made sure she had at least the bare necessities. Though, she did wish is provided a bit more comfort. Kagome glanced out of the doorway to see the sky painted an array of deep, warm oranges and royal purples. It wouldn't be long before the stars appeared. She made the decision to head to sleep, knowing she didn't have anything better to do at this time. She turned back and walked over to the futon, lying down and squirming in some fruitless attempt to get comfortable. It was no use, the rough and harsh ground still managed to press through, pushing on her bones no matter how she adjusted herself. She took in a large puff of air and held it in her lungs, hoping that the steady breathing technique would help relax her aching body enough to ease her into slumber. And as she exhaled, she could feel her muscles unwind a small amount. Maybe sleeping here wasn't so bad, and there was no point in dwelling on the negatives right now when there was no way to change the situation until morning. She decided she would just roll with the punches and take life how it came.

And with that in mind, the girl soon found herself taken over by a deep sleep, not even waking when Kaede entered. The older woman took her spot on the futon across the room, taking a moment to absorb Kagome's appearance one last time before shutting her eyes as well.

_This is most peculiar, indeed. Kagome, I wonder what ye will do with yer role as protector of the jewel? _She contemplated that prospect a bit more before her mind quieted for the night. A peaceful silence took over the village, and the moonlight fell over the huts like a silky sheet to tuck everyone in. It was tranquil and still through the night, at least for the villagers.

Inuyasha rested atop a tree branch, his body relaxed but his mind still awake. He couldn't help but continue to ponder the death of Kikyo, a woman he now despised and wanted out of his head. Of course, when he did manage to clear his head of her face, Kagome's quickly replaced it and he felt his temper quickly heating up. That was when the shaking of trees in the distance caught his attention, and he opened his eyes to take a peek at the situation. His gaze caught the pack of black birds flying through the sky, though there was something peculiar about them. Each had three eyes instead of two, and all the eyes glowed a sinister red, like an evil flame fueled by malicious intent. The half-demon scoffed.

"Corpse Crows, huh? Those nasty creatures must've sensed the jewel." He shut his eyes again, feeling little concern over what he felt to be weak demons, "Annoying bastards. Keh, as if they'd ever get their pesty talons on my jewel." He relaxed himself again, Kagome filling his mind once more, though he mentally cursed at the thought of her, wanting nothing more than for her to just disappear and leave the pink orb behind. _Damn, I hate that wench..._

Daylight soon took over, radiant sunshine forcing away the shadowy darkness. The sky wore a bright blue, with clouds hanging over the world like omniscient beings watching over everyone. The town slowly began to awaken, many families preparing their firsts meals of the day, and the men taking off to continue rebuilding the rest of the homes destroyed by Mistress Centipede.

Kaede decided that morning to attach the Sacred Jewel to a necklace for Kagome to wear so she wouldn't lose it, and Kagome gladly put it on, thanking the older woman before wandering off into town. She hadn't said much that morning, not wanting to bother Kaede who spoke of her busy day-to-day tasks helping villagers. Besides, Kagome planned on getting back home, a goal she knew Kaede wouldn't be so happy about. She was supposed to stay close by in case of any demons. But they had gone the whole previous day without much incident, so Kagome assumed she would be fine alone.

_I just gotta make it to that dry well and then I should be outta this fucked up place. Goodbye Feudal Era and a special fuck you to rude ass Inuyasha. _She smirked, excited at the prospect of finally getting home. She managed to sneak passed the outskirts and into the forest without bringing much attention to herself, following the path she recognized. Stepping over large roots and ducking under branches, she was sure she close to her destination. And her smile only widened when she made it to a small clearing, the well resting right in the middle with the sun shining directly on it as if it was some golden treasure. And to her it was. It was her ticket out of this crazy world.

She approached, taking in a deep breath as she placed her hand on the wood edges, relishing in the moment of victory. She survived Mistress Centipede, subdued Inuyasha, escaped the weird village and made it back to the well. It was like a weird dream, except she knew it was real. And she was about to cross the finish line back into normalcy.

Of course, she thought she was, but she failed to hear the quiet rustling of men behind her, and right as she was about to jump into the well, a hand covered her mouth and she was dragged back.

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What's happening!? _She looked up to see human men laughing and cheering at her capture as they took her down an unfamiliar path, _At least these motherfuckers don't appear to be demons... But I doubt I could take them all. If I had to have some weird powers, why'd they have to be spiritual powers that brought me to the past? Why couldn't I have been Spiderman instead or Captain Marvel or something? Fuck this._ They continued to pull her, her feet dragging against the dirt path until they made it to some beat up, old shack in the middle of nowhere. The men shoved her inside, pushing her harshly so that her body fell to the ground with a harsh thud, causing Kagome to wince in pain.

"We got the girl boss!" One man roared, "And ain't she a cute one. Her clothes are awfully revealing, huh?"

Another man felt up the back of her thigh before grabbing at the bottom of her jeans to feel the material, "Yeah, you're gonna catch a cold there, little girl. Hehe."

The feeling of his rough, cold fingers brushing up on her skin made her want to vomit, and she felt a surge of adrenaline coarse through her enough to give her the energy to get off of the ground.

"Who the fuck do you think you are touching me like that?" She howled, balling her hands into fists, ready to throw down even if she was sure she'd lose to all of them.

"What is it, baby? Our hands too dirty for ya?" The man chuckled, "Marry me and I'll buy ya new clothes."

"Touch me again and I swear I'll stick my foot so far up your ass, you'll taste my fucking shoes." She raised her fists and cocked her brow, "I may not be able to take on demons, but I'll throw hands at a nasty, old pervert any day."

"Oh, she's a feisty one." A man laughed, "How about we see you try." He was about to approach her when a deep, monotone voice interrupted.

"Give me the jewel." Monstrous undertones could be heard with each syllable, and Kagome turned to see a giant, grey skinned man stand, his eyes dull and lifeless, "Give me the jewel."

Once again, the men came together and grabbed Kagome, holding her out for the giant man to see. He unsheathed a long, thin sword and held it high, eyeing everyone darkly as he loomed above, his movements shaky and unstable like a drunkard.

"Oh yeah! Take her head off with one swipe, boss!" One of the lackeys cheered, excitedly watching as the boss raised the sword up, his breathing getting heavy with anticipation. But as the sword began to swipe down, it's aim became unclear and Kagome watched as it missed her completely and cut through the man beside her. He grunted before falling to the ground in shock, his blood pouring out.

"B-boss? What was that for!?" He yelped out in pain, though the giant man showed no sympathy for hurting his own man.

"Hehe, my mistake." The boss grunted, "Give me the jewel." He quickly turned back to Kagome, though she was now free from everyone's grip, as the remaining men now cowered behind her. Confusion built up in their brains as they nervously analyzed their boss, bodies shaking violently.

"You o-okay, boss?" One of the men behind Kagome asked hesitantly, his fear practically pouring out with his words, dripping like honey from his dry lips.

Kagome cocked a brow, "Bruh, your boss has issues. No, he's not okay and clearly hes down to kill you guys. Are we boutta run or you waiting for him to miss me and hit one of y'all again?"

Before anyone could answer, the boss took another swing. This time, he swiped horizontally as though to take off everyone's heads. But the group managed to duck in time and the grey man stumbled before falling against the wall, causing the building to shake as debris crashed down, blocking the exit. His movements were so clumsy, Kagome realized it was as if he was not used to his own body, like a child just now learning how to walk. She questioned whether or not drugs were involved, but also knew better than to assume any rational explanation here. Anything went in this era, no matter how absurd. But at the end of the day, something was up with him, and by the lackeys reactions, she knew it was not normal.

"Alright. We gotta bounce. I'm not taking on that large guy. And to be honest, you perverts don't look like you can take him either." Kagome looked around, not seeing anywhere to escape now that the doorway was blocked off. "We're gonna have to either push past all that debris over there or make a hole in the wall."

"Got it, boss!" One called out, and they began knocking their bodies against the part of the wall that had a crack running through it, hoping it was weak enough to break through.

"Boss? Hey, I'm not your-- Ah, fuck it. Whatever. Do your thing." She rolled her eyes and looked back to the large man, who was just getting up.

"Jewel." He grunted again, "Give it to me." Looking around frantically, Kagome could see that those men were not gonna be able to make a hole through the wall. They were far too weak. _And far too fucking stupid._ She remarked inwardly, now feeling slightly panicked. But as her gaze traveled, she realized there was a small opening in the blocked doorway. It wasn't large enough for anyone to fit, but if this strange man was really just after the jewel, she could throw it outside through the opening and maybe he would thrash his way out to get it. Then they would all be able to leave and she'd figure out her next step from there.

_It's not the best plan ever, but it sure beats fucking around with these dumbasses all day. _She grabbed the jewel, pulling the necklace off of her and taking one look at the pink orb. _Damn, you're causing a lot of trouble for such a tiny ass thing. _She looked back at the opening, eyeing it carefully before throwing the jewel, watching as it barely made it through to the other side.

"Fuck yeah!" She cheered excited. But as she turned around, half expecting to see the former boss charging at the exit, she noticed that he had his sword raised once more, and his sights were still on her. _What? No! The jewel isn't even on me anymore! _She gulped, his sword beginning to swing down at her. And this time, it didn't look like it would miss.

It was at that moment that Inuyasha crashed through the wall, jumping in between Kagome and the man, his sword breaking upon contact with Inuyasha's robes. The half-demon jabbed the former boss in the face a few times, and he stumbled a bit before falling onto his back. She couldn't help but smile momentarily, relief washing over her as she stood behind Inuyasha. _That was far too close..._Noticing the new hole in the wall, the men all looked at each other and nodded. "Sorry boss, but we're outta here!" One of them called out before climbing through the hole and scurrying away from the scene. Not that Kagome cared much. She was glad to have them out of harms way since there was no way any of them would stand a chance.

"Is the jewel alright!?" Inuyasha quickly turned, his tone laced with urgency.

"Oh fuck! The jewel!" Kagome responded, remember that she had thrown it out of the window.

"Please tell me you did not just say that!" The half-demon groaned, smacking his forehead with his palm.

"Blame the useless perverts!" She defended, biting her lip.

"The _w__hat_? He questioned, ready to just curse Kagome out for whatever she did with the jewel. But he was stopped by the grunts of the large, grey man, who was getting back up.

He struggled to stand, but as he did, the armor that previously covered his chest was undone, sliding off of his body revealing a dark hole where his heart should have been. Kagome blinked, staring at the hole curiously, noticing some movement within. Suddenly, a bird-like creature emerged, sticking it's head out before retreating back within the hole. It was one of the many demons Inuyasha had seen the night before, and the girl's eyes widened at the sight of its three red eyes.

"Well, what do ya know. A Corpse Crow is behind this mess." Inuyasha observed, chuckling darkly, "These annoying things can't fight on their own, so they make a nest within dead bodies and control em."

"L-like puppets... That's why he was acting so odd..." Kagome looked deeply into the hole, the idea a little morbid for her.

Shaking his head, the half-demon cracked his knuckles, "I'll bet that bastard bird devoured that man's heart before taking his body... Keh, but it don't matter now." Inuyasha lunged forward, sticking a clawed hand into the hole in an attempt to grab the demon crow. However, before he could snatch it up, the crow burst through the man's back, chunks of flesh falling to the ground as the smell of rotting meat spread throughout the room. It flapped it's wings, soaring out through the hole in the wall before Inuyasha could react again.

"Its getting away, Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked, pointed to the hole, "Hurry up and go get it!" She was shocked to see the half-demon remain in the best shack, clearly in no hurry to rush out.

"Who cares? There are monsters like that everywhere. You expect me to hunt all of em down?" He grunted with annoyance, "You wanna do the fighting? Be my guest."

"Oh yeah, lemme just fucking leap into action." She rolled her eyes, crossing her arm over her chest.

"Hey, it's not my fault you're just a weak human!" He maintained, "I'm not chasing after that thing. Now... where is the jewel?"

Kagome raised her hand to her neckline, trying to feel for the pink orb before her mind flashed back. _Oh... shit I threw the damn thing to get that stupid crow away from me. It's... it's somewhere outside. _She pointed to the hole where the crow flew out, and the half-demon narrowed his eyes to see, already suspecting that this was not going to end well for them.

His body flinched when he realized what exactly was happening, the crow demon flying into view, scooping up a tiny, glowing object. "Is that... Is that the jewel in its beak?!" He shouted, taken back by the sight of his precious being stolen right in front of his very eyes. And by such a pesty demon no less. He turned, bearing his fangs at Kagome as a low growl came from his throat. If looks could kill, Kagome would die right then and there under the harsh pressure of his heavy, narrowed gaze. His muscles flexed under his robe, his whole body tense. While the crow would never be a match for him, once in the air, it'd be a pain to go after. And he couldn't fathom why in the world Kagome would throw it out there to begin with. _Doesn't that stupid wench know how important that jewel is? _But as he looked at her, seeing the guilt pouring out of her features, he relaxed himself.

"Just follow me!" He huffed, grabbing Kagome by her hand as he busted out through the hole, dragging her along behind him.

_Getting dragged around again? Well, life just loves fucking with me. _Kagome thought, _Maybe my arm will fall right off, too. Keep yanking on it, Inuyasha. Who needs a fucking arm. _She rolled her eyes as he pulled her, the pain starting to shoot through her before she stopped suddenly. The crow had taken off high into the sky, much too high for the half demon to reach by jumping alone. Kagome wiggled her arms, hoping that was the last time anyone would pull at her for the time being.

Inuyasha sighed, looking around for anything that might help them retrieve the jewel. "Huh..." He muttered as he saw a group of horses that the men must've left behind in their hurry. Attached to one was a bow and a pack of arrows hanging from it's saddle. "Perfect." He marched over and grabbed the weapon and quickly went back to the girl, who looked upon him with confusion. He roughly handed her the bow and arrow, ignoring her puzzled expression

"Get on my back, wench." He demanded, turning around and bending down to let her climb.

"Well this is a little weird but okay, then." She cocked a brow, but decided that getting on his back was better than being dragged by him, "But if you drop me, I will subdue the shit outta you. No mercy."

"Yeah, yeah whatever." The half demon barked, "Just get on. That crow is making off with my jewel!"

_Not your jewel but whatever floats your fucked up boat. _The girl climbed on his back, the half-demon gripping her thighs as they wrapped around his waist. Once she was secure, he took off in a quick sprint, leaping into the air every now and again. _Wow... This is kind of fun. I'd enjoy this if he wasn't such a damn jerk._

"Alright. When I jump up, you're gonna have to shoot the crow down with the bow and arrow." The boy instructed, eyeing the demon above maliciously.

Looking at the weapon in her hand, she frowned, "Bruh, I've never used one of these in my life. There's no way in hell I'll be able to do that."

"Kikyo was a master archer. Just try and shoot it." He insisted, his gaze still locked onto the crow. _Yeah, and after the crow's outta the way... This wench is next. _He smirked at his secret plan.

_Honestly, I never met Kikyo. But holy shit I'm getting really tired of hearing that name. _Kagome sighed inwardly, shaking her head, _...But apparently I'm supposed to be some sort of reincarnation of the girl. So... maybe this Kikyo can help me out._

She positioned herself on his back, straightening her posture and pulling the arrow back on the string of the bow. Closing one eye, she did her best to aim the spear end of the arrow at the flying bird, imagining a power coarsing through her that would extend to the weapon that would send it soaring out. She took a deep breath and waited for the half-demon to leap to his highest point, the wind rushing against her, rising her air up behind her and making the strands dance around. As he jumped again, he made sure to put in all his effort to reach the sky, closing the distance between them and the targeted demon. Kagome bit her lip, releasing the arrow and it began ripping through the air like a bullet. She widened her eyes as she watched it go, hope beginning to swell in her chest followed by a feeling of pride. Once the arrow hit, she'd be a hero who saved the jewel from the devil's grasp. And she'd also have something else to hold over Inuyasha's head. _Not only will I be able to subdue him, but I'll be able to shoot his ass, too._ She snickered to herself.

However, Kagome's hopes were shattered when the arrow's rushing momentum plummeted down, taking the arrow with it. It rocked with the wind, spiraling to the ground just as her confidence did.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha hollered as they both plummeted down, his disappointment raging within in. He swiftly dropped her off of his back, "I don't care what that old hag says. You are not Kikyo!"

Getting up, Kagome wrinkled her nose, having hoped she did surprise herself and hit the crow. Still, the half-demon's assertion still managed to pull heavy on her nerves, "I'm not Kikyo? If only there had been someone saying that over and over again... Oh wait! I have, jackass! Catch the fuck up or get the fuck out. My name is Kagome."

"Keh, whatever. Useless wench." Inuyasha took one look at her, "I'm doing this myself!" As he looked back to the sky, he saw the Corpse Crow swallow the Sacred Jewel, morphing into a much larger, fiercer looking demon. _Shit... That bastard just got harder to catch. But there's no way I'm losing that jewel and that girl ain't gonna be any help..._ Inuyasha leapt into action, sprinting fast and far away from the stunned Kagome.

"On some real shit... He's got another thing coming if he thinks I'm just gonna sit around." She huffed, placing hands on her hips, "I may not be master-archer Kikyo, but I am Kagome Higurashi, boss bitch. And I will bring that demon down." She burst into her own, much slower sprint, noticing that the bird was heading straight for Kaede's village. _Oh no... That's not good. Those innocent people are fucked and Inuyasha only gives a damn about that stupid jewel!_ She frowned, but pressed on, moving her legs as fast as she could. Soon enough, the huts came into view and with it, the sound of concerned villagers, screaming and pointing at the hellish crow that circled around the crowds. Inuyasha hopped atop a hut, noticing that the bird was still too high and the moment, but anticipating that it planned on making an attack of some sort.

Kagome ran and stopped right before a crowd, now watching crow curiously. And suddenly, it dove and and grabbed a small boy with its enlarged talons.

The boy shrieked, while his mother waved her arms around frantically, "My boy! Someone save my son!"

The crow began flying away, hovering over a river that ran through the village. But the boy's weight acted like a harsh pull of gravity, the demon not being able to fly as high as it had been. But still, it flew on, refusing to drop the child from it's grasp.

"Heh, so you're already looking for your next meal, huh? Stupid bird..." Inuyasha grinned, cracking his knuckles, "Don't ya know you can't hunt while you're being hunted?" He hopped to a nearby tree, one with a branch that reached over the river. From there, he knew he could reach the bird and kill it, freeing the jewel and making it available for him to have. He quickly lunged at the bird, claws ready to rip it apart.

"Hey! Inuyasha you have to save the kid!" Kagome yelled out, now running along the river to keep up with the action.

"Stupid girl..." The half-demon muttered, slicing at the Corpse Crow, his claws ripping it to many different pieces, chunks raining down into the river below. However, the boy quickly fell with it with a splash, too. And the current was too strong for him to fight against.

"Help!" His small voice echoed as he traveled quickly through the river, his arms flailing around desperately.

_Fuck.._. Kagome bit her lip, _That poor kid is gonna drown if someone doesn't do anything..._ She looked around, seeing nobody jumping in to save him, quickly realizing that there was a good chance that no one knew how to swim. So she took a deep breath and shut her eyes, forcing bravery to fill her body like a fuel. It was like a rush of wind that roared beneath her skin, strengthening her muscles as well as her resolve. That current was strong, but she knew she had to be stronger.

"Lets do this." She whispered to herself while taking off her shoes and socks. She dove into the water with a splash and everyone gathered around to see what she would do next, their jaws all hanging low on their surprised faces. And when she rose back up to the surface, beginning to swim towards the boy, chatter erupted from the crowd like school children in between classes.

"How is she doing that?"

"She must be a witch!"

"No, she's a miracle!"

_It's a good thing my mom bothered to teach me to swim at the community pool. _She expressed her mental gratitude as she closed the distance between herself and the helpless child. She reached forward and grabbed him, causing another eruption of gossip as she began to swim on her back to reach the shore. But she ignored it all, focusing her energy on saving the poor boy who clutched her body tightly as a baby would its mother.

When they got to the shore, hands quickly extended to help both of them back up. And pride began to swell in the young girl, who was dubbed a hero by the gracious townsfolk. The worried mom swiftly came and hugged her son close to her, thanks pouring from her lips and her eyes. Inuyasha, who had landed on the opposite side of the river, frantically looked around for any sign of the jewel, clutching his head with both hands as he filled with concern that he would never be able to find it in this river. Or worse, some water demon would find it first. Wide eyes moved along the rushing water, but there was no pink aura to be seen, at least not by his demonic sight. Only someone with spiritual powers would be able to detect it's presence beneath the current, and he began really wishing Kagome would help him out this once, though he knew requesting her assistance would be futile.

But he didn't have to wait much longer to locate the jewel. Chunks of the Corpse Crow began to assemble themselves like a puzzle, pieces coming back together to bring new life to the demon, jewel still lodged in its insides. It took off again, this time without the weight of a child to slow it down. As it soared, the half-demons face dropped, realizing that he was back at square one again. _Dammit, dammit, dammit!!!_

But he quickly found his attention drawn to the girl he despised. Seeing her ready another arrow to release at the pesty creature.

_My ass she's gonna hit that._ He grumbled inwardly, though he didn't lessen his focus one bit. In fact, he narrowed his stare on her, analyzing her confident posture and the way her brow furrowed with concentration.

And she was putting everything she had into this, not asking for Kikyo's strength, but only looking inside herself. _The boy still had that demon's talon gripping his back, and it was still moving, trying its best to get back to the body. To get back to the jewel._ She thought to herself, _So, by tying the talon to this arrow, I should be sure to hit. I may not be a master archer, but I'm not as stupid as Inuyasha thinks I am. _She smirked before letting the arrow go, it shooting forcefully threw the air and up towards it's target, this time not losing any momentum as it flew.

"Oh I get it..." The half-demon watched this his mouth agape and heart pounding beneath his chest, "That clever wench is using a part of the bird to make sure she won't miss."

And, with both of them now holding their breaths with anticipation, the arrow did not fail. It collided with the Corpse Crow with abundant force, ripping through its flesh and ending it's life once and for all. The two of them mentally cheered as it's demise was seen through a total disintegration of its being as it became dust that the wind picked up and carried away. Their victory would be short lived though.

It was Kagome who noticed something at first, almost as though her insides were tugging at her, warning her about what was about to happen. She cocked a brow and continued to watch the sky, and as she concentrated on where the crow had been struck, she saw a dim, pink glow. It immediately registered in her mind as the jewel, but she couldn't help but wonder why it wasn't falling. It was as though time itself had suspended it in mid air, leaving it to hang like another cloud in the sky. But she knew that it wouldn't be that simple. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her that something was about to happen, something no one would be prepared for. She took a slow step forward, and as her foot lowered to the ground, she heard a crack. It wasn't like a normal sound persay, though. It wasn't the same as physically hearing anything. This sound was almost coming from inside her, like a noise bouncing around her ribcage. It was like she was sensing the echo of something not happening next to her, but still hearing it so clearly as if it were. She paused to try and process what was happening, almost tempted to break her stare with the jewel and look around to find a source of the noise even though she knew it would be futile. But she was stopped by a bright ray of lights shooting from the place where the jewel would be. It was like pink shooting stars stretching all around, taking up the sky in thin, glittery lines. It wasn't in one direction, either. The lights were flying everywhere. North, south, east, and west.

"W-what's happening? What do these lights mean?" She covered her mouth, her heart falling into the pits of her stomach, being pulled by the aching sense of dread.

Inuyasha was taken aback, as well, not having ever seen anything like it. He looked over quickly at Kagome, then over to Kaede, with the hopes of gauging whether or not this display was actually _normal. _

But while Kagome looked absolutely terrified, Kaede seemed to appear pensive as she looked up, studying the lights as they ran around above. _I've got a bad feeling about this..._ She shook her head. The rays or light eventually faded, and the sky above almost seemed to relax after all of the day's events. There was no remaining visible effect present. Nothing to explain what just happened. Everything looked like it was back to normal.

Inuyasha huffed, losing interest in the display of lights and quickly finding himself more concerned with the jewel. _We gotta go find it before some other annoying demon does_. He maintained inwardly, eyeing the girl once again. Her gaze was still frozen, stuck on the sky above as if she was waiting for something else to happen, like an answer to just pop up out of the blue. He shook his head. _Stupid girl. She should focus on the jewel. Who cares about anything __else_? He rolled his eyes, wishing he didn't need her to spot the jewel but being all too aware that she was the only one who would be able to sense it's presence wherever it fell.

He leaped across the river, landing in front of her and obstructing her view like a tall tower. "Wench, we gotta go find the Sacred Jewel. Quit staring at the sky and let's get going." He demanded, though he was surprised to see her unbothered by his attitude and tone.

"R-Right. It should have fallen that way." She pointed to the forest beyond the village. _Or at least, I hope it did. _The half-demon nodded, motioning for her to get a move on. And like that, they were both heading to the forest, fear building up inside that the jewel wouldn't be there. Fear of what that light really meant. She licked her increasingly dry lips, gaze moving in every direction as if looking for some sort of hint hidden in the greenery that now surrounded them. But the forest was quiet, and there was no glow in sight.

"You sure it fell around here?" Inuyasha questioned, poking his bottom lip out, unsatisfied with how long this was taking.

"It _should_ be here." She responded, her voice now shaky.

Suddenly, the head of the Corpse Crow appeared from a nearby bush, heading straight for the shocked girl. Luckily for her, the half-demons reflexes were fast, and he leaped in front of her like a shield, slashing at the head and destroying it for the third time that day.

"How the fuck is that thing still around?" She shouted with frustration, the idea that they'd have to spend the rest of their lives killing that one bird now running through her head, "Did we not just see it up and turn to ashes? Like why is this real life?"

But her answer revealed itself as she noticed a small item fall to the ground. Her stomach turned as she realized that, while it definitely wasn't a round, pink orb, it still beckoned her the way the Shikon Jewel did. It even glowed a dim pink light. She slowly walked up to it, seeing it's small, diamond shape and suddenly realizing that something very, very bad indeed did happen. Kagome closed her eyes and bent down to pick it up, feeling a pure energy radiate from the item. She reopened her eyes to study it.

"Well... If this is what I think this is..." She began, gulping hard, "Then we're really fucking screwed."

Now, Inuyasha hovered over from behind, curiously looking at the odd, diamond shape thing in her hand, "And _what_ exactly do you _think_ that is?"

She closed the item in her palm, clenching her fist tightly, "A shard...From the jewel."

"A _what!?_" Inuyasha's shouts rattled all the non-demonic birds through out the forest. _Gods... This girl is definitely__ going to be the death of me._

**Alright! Chapter 2 is up! And the jewel is broken which means the realreal adventure is gonna begin! Let me know what everyone thinks!!! I love the feedback!**

**And thank you _Missyouneek818_****! I'll definitely search up Japanese millennial culture on YouTube :)**


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